Epiplima Moth

The moth members of this Order of insects include a large number of diverse families. Moth groups include micro moths, leaf miners, clothes moths, plume moths, ermine moths, burnets, geometrids, silk moths, sphinx moths, tiger moths, wasp moths, noctuids, underwings and many others.

Some Indonesian Moths truly push the boundaries of what we associate as typical moth form. This one has rolled forewings and spiked hindwings. Moths have aggressively explored cryptic markings and wing shape, numerous mimicry devices, and disorienting and confusing graphic techniques such as flash coloration and eyespots to afford themselves protection from predators. Indeed, patternation on moth wings are frequently motivated by functional goals rather than display alone. With such a stylized moth, if it had not flown to a light and revealed its existence, we might never have encountered it during the day when its elaborate camouflage would probably have hidden it from discovery.